Skal Boston held their annual Holiday Party and fundraiser again this year at the Colonnade Hotel on Thursday December 17. David Colella, Hotel Managing Director and annual event Chairman once again “hit it out of the park”. This years charity was the Fisher House, a home for the families of wounded soldiers to stay while their honored hero gets treatment at our Boston Veterans Hospital. Over 289 members and guests attended this fantastic event and helped to raise thousands of dollars for the Fisher House. Everyone enjoyed the cocktail reception and luncheon but most of all the entertaining video produced by David and his creative team. Frank and Ellie Klare, Skal International Sr Auditor and Jim and Roberta Dwyer, SIUSA Region 1 newly elected VP attended. David Colella gave the Skal Toast. The silent and live auction items were amazing as were the many raffle items. Merry Christmas everyone.

Election for National Skal office were held between November 1 – 30 and 51 of 52 clubs, allowing for 58 total votes, cast their votes for candidates for Skal USA (SIUSA) office.

Our own Holly Powers was elected as Vice President Administration. With a potential of 58 votes cast, Holly received 46 votes and her opponent 11 with and one abstention. Skal Boston has never had a member become a member of the SIUSA Executive Committee.

The election results are as follows and this new slate of officers will assume their positions on Thursday, January 7 at the SIUSA Winter Board Meeting in Louisville, KY.

Boston’s fantastic Top of the Hub restaurant was the location of our November meeting on the 19th. The view from the 52nd floor of the Prudential Tower was amazing and was only topped by the wonderful cocktail party and luncheon hosted by this famous Boston restaurant.

Peter Popagelis, Top of the Hub General Manager welcomed our members and proposed the Skal Toast.

President Julie Pagano asked for a moment of silence to recognize those killed and injured in the terror attacks in Parish and she asked Serge Denis to give the Skal Toast in French. A message of condolence was sent to the President of Skal Paris, who warmly responded.

Raffle tickets were sold out and many guests enjoyed the wonderful prizes that were drawn and Past President, Bob Lawler, our resident auctioneer, auction off a wonderful travel package.

Holiday Party Chairman extraordinaire and event host, David Colella announced a few of the package that would be raffled at our Holiday fundraiser. This years charity will be the Fisher House, which accommodates families of wounded soldiers. He instructed members not to dis guard their losing raffle ticket but keep them and bring them to the Holiday Luncheon as the first prize to be raffled will be from the losing November tickets. Let is see how many members were listening!

Skal International held their World Congress in Torremolinos, Spain October 28 – November 1. Holly Powers, Skal Boston SIUSA Representative represented Skal Boston. This event ended our Club of the Year status and Holly help present the award to Hobart, New Zealand, this years recipient. Orange Coast, Australia came in second and Ft Lauderdale/Palm Beaches and Tuscon were tied for third place. Congratulation to all the finalists. Skal Boston was given a commemorative plaque of our having won this prestigious award last year.

Delegates from all over the United States and the World participated. The newly elected international officers were elected and the are:

Nigel Pilkington, President from New Zealand

David Fisher, Vice President from Kenya

Susanna Saari, Vice President from Turkey

Rafael Millan Perex, Director from Mexico

Lavonne Wittman, Director from South Africa

Jason Samuel, Director from South Africa

Frank Klare, Sr. Auditor from Philadelphia, PA, USA

Skal Boston is revered by the clubs of the world as a model Skal organization.

On October 15, Skal Boston members met at the Hampshire House on Beacon Street in Boston, the home of “Cheers”, “where everyone knows your name”!

Tom Kershaw, owner and Skal Boston member hosted our members to a wonderful luncheon in this historic facility on Beacon Street across from the Boston Public Gardens. Tom gave the Skal Toast and welcomed members and guests to this famous landmark. The luncheon was delicious. Club members greeted the chef and staff with a hardy round of applause.

On a warm September night, Skal International Boston held an evening meeting at the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum. Members got to participate in a reenactment of the historic meeting at Boston’s Old North Church that lead up to the start of the Revolutionary War. They were introduced to the patriots who were ready to lose everything for freedom. Members also had a chance toss tea into Boston Harbor and then view one of the two remaining tea boxes that survived the incident.

Shawn Ford, Boston Skal member, Past President and current Vice President of the Tea Party Museum hosted the evening and gave the Skal Toast. After visiting the museum and replicas of the Beaver and Eleanor ships the members were hosted to a wonderful reception in the Abigail Adams Tea Room.

August 20th was a warm sunny day in Boston and what better location to have our August meeting than at the fantastic Four Seasons Hotel overlooking the Boston Public Gardens.

President Julie welcomed members and guests and introduced our host for the event, Bill Taylor.

General Manager, Bill Taylor gave the Skal Toast. He and his staff prepared a cocktail reception and delicious lunch for everyone to enjoy.

Past President and Scholarship Chairman, Chris Pappas presented this years Keith Staples Scholarship recipient, Samantha Lee with a $2,500 scholarship. Samantha is an outstanding student and Skal Boston was thrilled to award her the scholarship. She expressed her gratitude at being selected for this scholarship and said her hoped to become a Skal member in the future.

John Yonce, Business Development Manager of Tourism Cares was pinned as a new member by Holly Powers.

Monthly raffle tickets were sold out with receipts earning over $1,000.

Thank you to Masterpiece Video for once again taking photos and a video of the event.

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